Suppose that a complex, lab, or base had 3 levels underwater. They are Level B1, Level B2, and Level B3. Also the only way to get to B2 and B3 is by elevator. That means there are no stairways from B1 leading to B2 and no stairways from B2 leading to B3. Suppose that somehow B2 flooded. Would it be possible to escape by elevator from level B3 to B1 even though the top level B2 is flooded? What would it require to protect the elevator doors from the massive water pressure so that they are not destroyed? Even if the elevator shaft was protected from the water pressure on the outside of B2, could you even still use the elevator to travel back and forth between the dry levels or would it have to be shutdown? And what would B3 look like for anyone down in there, would there be obvious signs that the above level was flooded? I had a dream like this that got me thinking, I must be playing one too many video games!
2007-07-20 14:49:31 · 4 answers · asked by SDG 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Elevator doors are hardly water-tight. However, if they were water-tight, the pressure on a given portion of the door is proportional to the depth below the surface of the water.
So, let's say the air in the lab was at 1 atmosphere (101,300 pascals). If floor B2 is 3 meters tall and filled with water from floor to ceiling, and the elevator doors are 2.4 meters tall and 1.8 meters wide, and , then the total force on the door is
F = Integral[ rho*g*d*w, d, 0.6 meters, 3 meters ]
where rho is the density of the water, g is gravity, d is the depth under the water, and w is the width of the elevator doors.
F = 1/2*rho*g*w*d^2, evaluated from 0.6 to 3 meters
F = 76283 newtons
So, you have about 76,000 newtons of force (17,000 pounds force) on the doors. That is if floor B2 is completely filled with water, but isolated from the water outside the lab, and the air pressure inside the lab is 1 atmosphere.
2007-07-20 15:08:33 · answer #1 · answered by lithiumdeuteride 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The doors would have to be water tight. The elevator shaft would have to be pressurized at the rate of flood water on level B2. As the water rises so does the pressure. two air tight doors in the shaft would make 3 compartments. Each could be closed off and pressurized. Your on level B3, B2 is flooded. The shaft is pressurized when you get on elevator, when the pressure reaches that on level B2, the interlock shaft doors open and the car moves up to level B1 that is then de-pressurized.
2007-07-20 15:56:53 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
considering that the elevator doors were water tight, the doors would need to be able to hold back several tons over the area of the door..........There would most likely be no signs of flooding below the surface floors......
Considering each floor was 12 feet lower than the previous.....
at 12 ft is 19.9 PSI or over a 4 X 7 (4032 square inches) door would be 40 tons (80,000 lbs) of pressure pushing on the door.
at 24 feet below the surface, there is 50 tons (100,000 lbs) pressing up against the door
at 36 feet below the surface 60 tons (120,000 lbs)
Most Unmanned deep water subs deal with these great pressures by flooding the probe's insides with water to equalize pressure exerted against the hull. The practicality of underwater watertight structures is the immense structural requirements not only to hold itself up, but to hold back the pressure against the walls of the hull/structure.
2007-07-20 15:09:36 · answer #3 · answered by Jeffrey F 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Filling the elevator with water would prevent it from being crushed... but that creates all kinds of other problems.
2007-07-20 14:59:19 · answer #4 · answered by olhenry56 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋